Older Adults, AIDS, and the Internet

这项为期两年的可行性研究旨在审查50岁以上人群通过互联网使用的性风险，并开发和试行向老年人在线提供艾滋病毒预防方案所需的概念性方针和方法。该项目有五个目标：(1)确定和分析目前网上老年人可以获得艾滋病信息和艾滋病毒预防援助的一般和特定年龄来源的特征；(2)确定和分析现有互联网站和IRC聊天室地点的特点，这些网站和聊天室为老年人提供在线浪漫/性关系的机会，这些关系可能会转移到线下产生艾滋病毒风险；(3)根据人口统计特征、对在线健康和艾滋病毒信息源的使用、关于艾滋病的知识和态度以及与线上和线下相遇的伴侣的艾滋病毒危险行为，制定一份关于老年网站和聊天室用户的流行病学概况；(4)制定、实施和试行网上提供“谈论爱滋病与老化(CAAA)”节目，并敲定评估其成效所需的方法和措施；及。(5)制订程序手册及RO1支援申请，以进行一项完整的第二期临床(随机)试验，以评估利用CAAA模式为长者提供网上爱滋病资讯和预防服务的成效。作为一种预防方法，CAAA模式很可能对有兴趣为老年人提供服务的艾滋病提供者具有广泛的吸引力。互联网节目可以接触到全球观众，通常只需要很少的工作人员来维护，在某些情况下可以由志愿者提供，而且通常只需要很少的办公空间或设备。

This two-year feasibility study is designed to examine sexual risk through Internet use among people over age 50 and to develop and pilot test the conceptual approach and methods needed to deliver HIV prevention programming to older adults on line. The project has five goals: (1) To identify and analyze the characteristics of general and age- specific sources currently available online that older adults can access to obtain AIDS information and HIV Prevention Assistance; (2) To identify and analyze the characteristics of existing Internet websites and IRC chatroom locations that offer older adults opportunities for online romantic/sexual relationships that may move offline to produce the potential for HIV risk; (3) To develop an epidemiological profile of older website and chatoom users in terms of their demographic characteristics, use of online health and HIV information sources, knowledge and attitudes about AIDS, and HIV-risk behavior with partners met both on and offline; (4) To develop, implement, and pilot test the online delivery of "Chatting About AIDS and Aging (CAAA)" programming as well as to finalize the methods acid measures needed to evaluate its effectiveness; and (5) To develop a Manual of Procedures along with an RO1 Application for support to conduct a full Phase II clinical (randomized) trial to evaluate the efficacy of providing online AIDS information and prevention services using the CAAA model for older adults. As a prevention approach, the CAAA model is likely to have wide appeal for AIDS providers interested in serving older adults. Internet programming can reach a global audience, typically needs few staff to maintain, in some instances can be delivered by volunteers, and usually requires little office space or equipment.